Smartphone Addiction among University Undergraduates: A Literature Review

Purpose : This paper reviews the growing literature on Smartphone addiction among university undergraduates to identify trends. Design/Methodological Approach: It is based on literature published during the period 1996-2013. Only original research papers have been included in this literature review. The thematic structure has been adopted. In the beginning, such concepts as the symptoms and levels of this addiction will be clarified. Afterwards, the underlying problems and methodological issues raised in the literature will be touched upon. The paper also reviews the relationship between Smartphone addiction among undergraduates and their academic achievement. Finally, significant differences in addiction among undergraduates according to their gender, field of study, parents educational level and family income level will be examined. Findings: While some studies have shown gender differences in Smartphone addictive use, others have proved that gender and Smartphone use are not significantly related. A few studies have examined the relationship between addiction and students' field of study. Some of these Review Article